My punctuality was poor due to the amount of time Nova spent stuffing my suitcase with nonsense like bathing suits and makeup. I lost track of the actual clothes that she snuck in there.
Even as she was driving Nova pegged me about when and how to use the makeup. I tuned out the sound of her voice when she started talking about the importance of mascara.
I was going to another country. And Italy at that. Who would have thunk it?
We finally pulled into the circle drive of Vincent's home and Nova leaned over the steering wheel to gaze up at the mansion.
"I've seen bigger." She assessed with a roll of her eyes.
Before I could respond to her chide I saw another car parked ahead of us that was familiar.
What could he be doing here-
"He knows." I whispered before rushing out of the car with Nova doing the same out of curiosity.
I jogged up to the front door and Linda met us there before I could sound my first knock.
"You always seem to arrive at the right time sweetie." Linda widened the door to let us in and she gave Nova one of her warm smiles to which Nova surprisingly returned.
"They're in his study." Linda answered while shooing us up the stairs to the loud male voices.
I skipped steps hoping to get there faster since I could hear Henry's voice begin to rise like a wave in the distance.
Nova trailed behind me as I came up to the door with gold handles and pushed them open.
Henry had Vincent by his collar and I could see Vincent struggle with his darker side by the way his hands gripped the front of his desk. I bet if I looked under it there would be eight crescent moons carved into the mahogany.
With a look to Nova, in lightning time she pulled Henry by the back of his shirt and proceeded to put him in her famous unbreakable chokehold. When he tried to wiggle out of it Nova didn't move.
She may be skinny, but she be mighty.
I stood in front of Vincent and put my hand on his chest in an attempt to hold him back.
His eyes were shut tightly and he kept his head down.
"The amount of testosterone in this room is on a whole 'nother level!" Nova chastised as she continued to hold onto an resilient Henry. I laughed internally when I heard her Chicagoan tongue kick in.
"Amari, how could you be with him? And don't deny it because I know it's true!" Henry accused and paused his struggle in between Nova's elbow and stomach. "He will ruin you because that's what he does to every innocent soul he meets!"
My eyebrows creased and when my eyes met Vincent's again they were their usual green but held no emotion. Much like the first time I met him.
What struck me was the blood trickling down his cracked lip which could've been a result from a punch given by Henry.
Why did my heart squeeze in pain when I saw him hurt? Was it because I didn't do it? Was it because someone else had?
"Why would you think that Vincent and I are together?" I snapped at him for the first time.
"Isn't it obvious? You running to him after a phone call you get when you're at an ice cream shop with friends. You storming out of a room in the nail shop after Vince came in there; which I assume you two were having a fight. You being here now to fly with him to God knows where a whole week before the actual Italy trip that you were supposed to go with me on. You two are undoubtedly fucking!"
My face scrunched at his absurd accusations and Nova tore through the still air with a snort.
"Henry, let's get one thing straight I am no longer your assistant. I heard that Vincent was flying to where my father lived and he offered me the free ride," I formulated the tale carefully. "Also Vincent and I are not together romantically or sexually. Why do you even care?"
Henry was about to open his mouth but bit his tongue when Vincent finally looked up to him with a pleading look in his eyes.
"I just don't want you to get hurt."
Liar. That wasn't what he wanted to say. What were Henry and Vincent hiding from me?
"You have two options. Nova can let you go and we can handle this conversation like adults, or Nova can drag your ass out of here by your neck." My tone was solid and annoyed.
"I can walk myself out." Henry snapped lowly and Nova let his head drop from her arm.
Henry wiped his hands on his jeans and turned to walk to the door but turned back before leaving. He said something that we both knew wasn't his first time saying.
"Stay out of his way."
Then he was gone.
"Enjoy your trip." Nova apologetically said before following Henry out and winking my way; probably for good luck with Vincent's father.
Even before Nova left, she had a keen eye on Vincent but I couldn't tell if she was assessing him for signs of good or just making sure Vincent wasn't going to charge after Henry.
I peeled my hand from Vincent's chest to close the double doors.
When I turned back around I noticed something else peculiar about Vincent.
"Is your hair...black?"
The question was sparked from my curiosity and also a way to keep Vincent distracted from succumbing into his dark side.
He wore a white button up with black slacks. His face was finally shaved and his hair wasn't touched by a single lick of gel by the way his loose curls hung loose around his head. He looked natural. His entire appearance was beautiful.
Strangely even with his bloody lip.
"Why yes. Black hair runs in my family. I had to dye it for the film." He chuckled and sat on top of his desk. "You didn't think I was Goldie Locs, did you?"
"I mean yeah. You've had blonde hair ever since before the first time I met you."
I stood in front of him with my hands intertwined in front of me.
"And you've had me in your grip since the first time I met you. Literally."
Vincent never broke eye contact and I intended to keep it steady.
"I had you in my grip? How so King Psycho?"
Vincent grabbed my locked hands and put them on his thigh.
"You've been keeping me sane principessa," he started whilst running his fingers over mine. The simplest touch from him made my words get stuck in my throat.
"Whenever I think of letting it take over I recall the night in the basement of AKP. I wish not to bring anymore harm—to anyone. That's all I want to accomplish."
"Can you explain to me once more why you won't take the serum? Although it takes away your ability to sleep you'll still be able to control your other side."
"Although it takes away my ability to sleep it also gets rid of one of the most valuable luxuries ever known: dreaming." He disclosed with the mouth of a man who was trapped.
His speaking of dreams made me recall the night at the Frat when he described my dreams as 'sweet'.
"A man has nothing if he doesn't have his dreams." I whispered to which he hummed in agreement and threaded his fingers through mine.
For a moment we just looked at one another. However this time was different than any other.
Any other time we would be spending our seconds at each other's throats, or trying to figure each other out and attempting to understand why the other did what they do.
In these seconds we finally were on the same page. We had an understanding of why the other did what they do.
He was a man trying to save his mother even with his sickness. I was a woman trying to serve justice for those who have fallen prey to a substance that destroys lives.
I had no reason to fight him. At least not this part of him.
"I must warn you, that my family—they are abnormal." He admitted while tracing small shapes on my palm with his thumb.
"Abnormal to what extent?" I questioned looking up from our hands.
"They are quite imperious."
"Oh God, so they're you?" I drawled hysterically and he rolled his eyes playfully.
"They're worse." He confessed with a melancholy look painted on his face. "Don't take anything they say to heart because you're heart is pure as silver."
I squeezed his hand in acknowledgment to the first compliment of his that I accepted.
"Is Violet the same way?"
A prideful smile replaced his frown and he chuckled to himself.
"No, Violet is not the same way. She has the purest heart of them all." His hands trailed up my arms but then met my wrist again with his fingertips. Confusion ran through my mind as his fingers caressed my skin.
"There's also someone else that you will be meeting in New Hampshire."
"I can't take all of these surprise guests." I smacked my palm to my forehead in exasperation.
"Don't worry, I'm sure you'll like this one." He smiled gently and looked as if he wanted to say something but then proceeded onto saying something else. "I have to ask, do you actually want to visit your father in New Hampshire?"
Did I want to see him? It sounded like he definitely never wanted to see me again.
But the things I needed were assurance and closure. I needed to know if he is actually worth keeping in my life and worth fighting for before I kick him from my mind.
He wasn't always the drunk and high father that succumbed to the depths of alcohol and sketchy weed. He didn't always throw dangerous things at my mother and I because he was too lucid to recognize us.
My dad was and I still believe is a good man. He's kind and loves his daughter and loves his sister's son like his own. He sacrificed dozens of jobs because of their proximity so he wouldn't be too far from his family.
I wanted to hold onto that part of him. That was the true him. And that was the him that made me believe that he did not try to sexually assault a woman in an alley.
"My dad met my mom at a jazz club in the '80s. She had just finished one of her shows in Chicago and the club was best known for its saxophone player: Ronnie 'Bear Cannon'." I smiled at the nickname. "She instantly fell in love with his music and eventually him. He was convinced that she loved his music more than she loved him further down in their relationship and although she would joke they both knew the truth. My mom was in love with Ronnie 'Bear Cannon' and he was undoubtedly in love with Katherine Washington. I have to see him."
"You're father is Ronnie 'Bear Cannon'?" He asked as if he had heard the name before.
"Yes. Do you know him?"
He shook his head almost immediately. He was definitely hiding something.
"Never heard of him."
Liar.
"Yeah alright." I gave him a pointed look because I knew he wasn't telling me something.
"You ready?"
"Ready to be shown as a project to your family or ready to leave?"
"Both?"
I huffed knowing that this was the goal and there was no turning back.
"I guess."
。。。。。。。。
15 years ago
"Ronnie, you're high-"
"Just let me see her. Please." I could hear him beg at the front door as I peeked down our staircase.
"Go to your mom's and get yourself cleaned up. You are not stepping one foot into this house smellin' like a sewer and lookin' like a torn up dog toy." I heard my mom's hushed whispers but even though her tone was low it was harsh.
"I know how to fix this, Kathy. I'm gonna get clean—I swear!"
"That's what you said last time right before you threw a glass full of bourbon at our six-year-old daughter!"
"I swear to you I had no control over that! The day I hurt Amari is the day I die." He paused and I heard him sniff. "There's something I haven't told you."
"Well spit it out Ronald because I have rehearsal in a few hours."
"I found a side-hustle where I have to experiment different...things."
"What kind of 'things' Ronald?" Mom was getting upset.
Dad took a look exhale. This must've been bad.
"The Passaretti's are testing their new patent on those willing to participate and the pay goes beyond our wildest dreams."
"The Passaretti's? You know how shady their business is! What the hell were you thinking?"
"I was thinking about the baby, Kathy. I want a better life for you, Jaden, Amari, and our baby."
"Wake up. We're here."
Vincent shook my leg and my eyes cracked open to see two men dressed in dark colors carrying our luggage out of the private jet.
Vincent had changed his soiled white shirt into a grey button up that made him look normal.
It was a refreshing sight.
He held his hand out for me to take and we exited the plane only to enter into a black SUV.
Although our driver was going what felt like illegally fast, I still could see the beautiful green tint that the leaves on the humongous trees had. We went past the beach and the water was blue like a man who's date didn't show up.
Children were playing in the sand and the adults were either swaying crazily to music or surfing.
We kept driving and went past another part of the beach which had a rope that separated it from the other beach. I saw bodies being free.
The day was warm and I didn't blame the lack of of clothes that the people showcased.
"Do you like the beach?"
I begrudgingly turned my head from the scenes outside of my window and looked at Vincent who was studying me behind his dark sunglasses.
"Surprisingly no. Sand is gross." I brought my focus back to the figures disappearing from my window the faster the driver went. "But I do like seeing people having fun and enjoying themselves."
"So what do you do for fun, Ms. Taylor?" He asked.
I'd never really thought about it. Ever since my dad went away I spent every second of my time trying to plan the perfect murder. Yet here I am sitting a few scooches away from my supposed victim.
"I don't know." I admitted.
"You don't know?" He repeated.
"I know you're not talking, you're obviously not the king of fun." I defended.
"You say that now, princess. But by the end of this trip you'll be begging to hang out with me." His prideful gleam could be seen from even behind his dark shades.
"Yeah alright." I rolled my eyes at his attitude. "If you can prove that you have even one ounce of fun while we're here I'll kiss you."
My eyes widened at what I said and a small chuckle flew from his lips.
"How about if I can prove you wrong, you teach me how to ride that death machine of yours." He chortled as our high speed car came to a stop in front of a shop with a blue awning and gold cursive spelling out VY's Photography Studio.
"Besides, I need you to want to kiss me."
My cheeks started to heat up and I was able to hide it as he walked around the car to open my door.
"Let's not keep Violet waiting. She's expecting us."
He held out his hand to pull me deeper into his world.